Its been a long week. I haven't wrote the blog one time. Last Saturday, I left to go to a Young Life Camp in Antelope Oregon. It was IN-SANE, as in, Not sane at all, meaning totally and completely crazy!!! YL does up camp better than Disneyland I think. Its all go-go-go and no sleep-sleep-sleep. When I got home at 10:30 Wednesday Night I slept for over 10 hours.
Young Life's mission is to introduce kids to a relationship with Jesus. They do it through weekly events throughout the school year, and then it culminates in a camping experience that creates a once in a lifetime event that shares the life changing love of God with the kids. The hope is that the kids will respond to that love and their lives would be changed.
I have to tell you something about my personality to make a point here. I usually have an opinion on almost everything. I think that there is a right and wrong way to do something. I plan on ways to be effective. I think of ways to make things better. This part of my personality at times can make it difficult for me to believe that my way is not the best way. I know, its a horrible personality trait, but I'm working on it.
So this week at camp, I've got to be honest, I wasn't completely sold on the approach of how aspects of the camp were being run. In my vocation, I'm used to being asked about how things should go, put in my two cents, or make the ultimate decision.
There was not one thing I could do this week but follow along with the program, and at times it was difficult for me to do so.
But here's what happened. I gave myself into the program. It was hard, but I wanted to be obedient to God, and to the leader that I had agreed to help. It difficult to give up the need to be in control, or to have a voice, or to want things a certain way. And here's a another prideful thought of ol' Pastor Matt- a thought that if something wasn't done in a way that I wanted, it was more than likely doomed to failure.
I was amazed at the impact that the camp experience had on these kids. I watched as with each passing day it chipped away at their middle school facades and exposed the inner parts of their longing souls. In my cabin, 5 young men responded to the love of God for the first time in their lives. It was completely awesome to see.
I think this is why- It was God working in people's lives. Its his show, his plan, his way, his power. I learned that everything does not have to go my way for Him to have His way. I know, easy concept to read, hard concept to grasp. I guess you have to go through an experience like mine this week to be humbled to the place of understanding where you stack rank in the grand scheme of things.
I guess that bumper sticker is true- let go, and let God.
Have a blessed weekend.
Matt
Every year, I have the exact same experience at YL camp, and that is the reason that I keep coming back. Be blessed for going, be blessed for humbling yourself, be blessed for being available to those 5 Middle school boys for a week.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back! I sure have missed your daily blog. What a blessing it must have been for those young men to be with you for a week. Boys need good men in their lives, especially at such a fragile and emotional age as middle-school. God bless you for going. I see your friend Paul also goes to this camp. God bless him too. We need more good men to mentor young men - or at least show them a Christ-like life style. The lack of good fathers, good husbands and good men in general within our society is one of my greatest concerns. Thanks Pastor Matt (and you too Paul) for doing something about that.
ReplyDeleteChelsea has gone to the YL camp in NY the last two years and had an amazing time both years...and, oh, yeah, slept for the whole day after she got back :)
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